The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

PG-13

2012

2h 49m

Fantasy

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

64%

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302 Reviews

83%

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250,000+ Ratings

Bilbo Baggins lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the Shire, until the wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

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Critics Consensus

Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.

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J. Hoberman

The New York Review of Books

03/28/2017

There is a good deal to be said about Peter Jackson's long-awaited and exceedingly long adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, most of it bad.

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

12/14/2012

It frequently seems as though Jackson was less interested in making The Hobbit than in remaking his own fabulously successful Lord of the Rings series.

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Perri Nemiroff

Shockya.com

12/14/2012

3/5

Two thirds is so packed with charming characters, stellar visuals and sense of adventure, it makes that other third come across as much more of a failure than it really is.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

04/26/2025

It’s big, bloated even, impressively produced but overburdened with import and foreshadowing.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

10/17/2024

4/5

Patience is exactly the virtue required.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/20/2022

3.5/4

This is a cinematic world so fully realized that leaving it is a sad prospect.

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William

Jan 10

Great intro to The Hobbit world!

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Terry M

02/06/2023

Good family movie. Loved it.

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Theo J

@RT44151379 2d

I don’t think it was a bad movie. I think it just needed more stuff. So I’m gonna be generous and give this a five star. Because it really was a good movie. Yes it’s different than the Lord of the rings. But it still had a good story.

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Jak C.

@Baguette-Cement Mar 27

Good movie and is overall fun to watch.

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atusa D

@Atusa Feb 26

When I revisit Middle-earth on screen, I usually go in release order: the The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, then The Hobbit. This year I switched it up and started chronologically with The Hobbit. After rewatching the trilogy (again), I’m convinced that **The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey** is the strongest entry. Shot back-to-back like LOTR, it still stands out visually and structurally. With a tighter focus and a single main storyline, it feels more grounded. The smaller cast helps, and as with most franchises, the first film benefits from setting the stage rather than juggling escalation and resolution. Whatever its flaws, I love all three. Peter Jackson keeps the story flowing—even in quiet, dialogue-heavy scenes I was never bored, always immersed in the adventure. Yes, it’s inferior to LOTR. But rewatching it nine years later made me realize something: even a criticized trilogy like this feels miles ahead of most recent Hollywood blockbusters.

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Jon T.

@Cyber-Tyler Feb 22

I love these movies. Such a fantasy land.

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Peter Jackson

Director

Ian McKellen

Gandalf

Martin Freeman

Bilbo Baggins

Richard Armitage

Thorin Oakenshield

Ken Stott

Balin

Graham McTavish

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Synopsis

Bilbo Baggins lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the Shire, until the wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

Director: Peter Jackson
Producer: Fran Walsh, Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner
Screenwriter: Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: WingNut Films
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Action Violence|Frightening Images|Intense Fantasy Violence)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 14, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 11, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $303.0M
Runtime: 2h 49m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, SDDS, Datasat